
Spring Turkey Show
Season 38 Episode 18 | 56m 33sVideo has Closed Captions
Chad Miles and a panel of experts answer questions about turkey hunting season.
Chad Miles and a panel of experts answer questions about turkey hunting season.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Spring Turkey Show
Season 38 Episode 18 | 56m 33sVideo has Closed Captions
Chad Miles and a panel of experts answer questions about turkey hunting season.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipYOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU ARE CARRYING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS.
>> YEAH, YEAH, EXACTLY.
>> THIS WEEK ON KENTUCKY AFIELD... WE WENT LIVE ON FACEBOOK TO ANSWER ALL OF YOUR SPRING TURKEY HUNTING QUESTIONS.
AND WE ARE BRINGING YOU THOSE ANSWERS RIGHT NOW.
IT'S ALL NEXT ON KENTUCKY AFIELD.
>> THAT'S A PRETTY FISH.
>> BEAUTIFUL.
>> THIS POND IS PLUM FLOATED WITH FROGS.
>> THEY'RE EVERYWHERE IN HERE.
(GUNSHOT) >> THIS IS A GOOD FISH RIGHT HERE.
A REALLY GOOD FISH.
>> COME HERE, GIRL.
>> THAT'S A BIG RABBIT.
>> NICE JOB.
>> YES!
MY FIRST MUSKY.
>> LEO!
♪ WE GOT A KEEPER!
>> THERE GOES.
BOOM!
>> WOW, THAT HAPPENED FAST.
>> HELLO, WELCOME TO KENTUCKY AFIELD.
I'M YOUR HOST CHAD MILES.
TONIGHT WE ARE HERE TO TAKE A BREAK FROM ALL THE MADNESS OF MARCH AND TALK ABOUT THE NEXT EXCITING THING HERE IN KENTUCKY, AND THAT IS TURKEY SEASON.
YOU KNOW TURKEY SEASON COMES IN FOR THE YOUTH APRIL 2 AND 3 AND THE STATEWIDE WILL BE HERE APRIL MAY 8.
JOINING ME TONIGHT TO ANSWER ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT TURKEY, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FAMILIAR FACES.
FIRST UP ZAK DANKS TURKEY PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.
SECONDLY WE HAVE JOE LACEFIELD, WILDLIFE REGIONAL BIOLOGIST.
HOW ARE YOU DOING, JOE.
>> BOOED TO SEE YOU.
>> AND THEN ANSWERING ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT QUESTIONS, WE HAVE SERGEANT WAYNE WILSON, WHO IS THE 9th DISTRICT CONSERVATION OFFICER.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> GOOD.
THANKS FOR HAVING US.
>> I UNDERSTAND YOU ARE A TURKEY HUNTER.
>> I AM.
YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT MOUNTAIN TURKEY HUNTING.
>> YES, SIR.
>> WE RECENTLY WERE OUT WITH YOU GUYS BANDING TURKEYS.
THAT'S A PRETTY COOL PROJECT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT WAS YOU TWO THAT WERE OUT WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER BIOLOGISTS AND WE WERE PUTTING BANDS ON TURKEYS.
TELL ME WHAT YOU GUYS WERE DOING THAT PROJECT.
WHY WERE YOU DOING THAT AND WHAT SUCCESSES WE HOPE TO SEE FROM THAT.
>> SURE.
YEAH, THAT WAS ONE STUDY SITE OF MANY ACROSS THE STATE.
SO OUR REGIONAL BIOLOGISTS LIKE JOE, HERE PUT IN THE HARD WORK BEFORE WE GOT OUT THERE.
GETTING PERMISSION FROM THE LAND OWNER, P FINDING TURKEYS, WHERE THEY ARE, FINDING A SUITABLE SITE TO SET UP THE TRAP SO WE COULD COME IN AND HAVE A FUN DAY.
THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS REALLY TO HAVE HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT WEEK CONTROL, THE HUNTING REGULATIONS AND THE HARVEST PRESSURE ON THE TURKEY POPULATION.
WE ARE GOING TO BAND MALES AND ULTIMATELY AFTER FOUR YEARS, WE WILL HAVE A GOOD ESTIMATE OF THE PROPORTION OF THEM THAT GET HARVESTED.
THAT'S WHAT WE CALL HARVEST RATE.
WE KNOW FROM TELECHECK HOW MANY BIRDS ARE CHECKED, BUT HARVEST RATE IS REALLY INFORMED FROM THE POPULATION MONITORING STANDPOINT.
SO BIG HATS OFF TO OWL OUR FIELD STAFF WHO HELPED MAKE IT HAPPEN.
LAND OWNERS ARE STEWARDS OF OUR RESOURCES AND THEY'RE HELPING US BY GRANTING US PERMISSION.
>> LIKE A DAY OF HUNTING BECAUSE YOU GET OUT THERE, YOU'VE GOT YOUR BLIND.
WE ARE FULL CAMMO, WAITING FOR THE BIRDS TO SHOW UP AND INSTEAD OF AIMING A SHOTGUN, YOU'VE GOT A DETONATOR AND YOU ARE TRIGGERING THE ROCKETS TO GO OUT THAT'S WHERE IT GETS DIFFERENT.
YOU RUN UP ON A NET WITH A BUNCH OF TURKEYS DOWN, IT'S CHAOTIC.
IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT BIRD SAFETY.
IT IS CHAOTIC, GETTING THE BANDS AND THE DATA SO THEY CAN BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
WITH NEW HARDWARE.
YOU BROUGHT SOME OF THESE-- >> I DID.
>> IF YOU HAPPEN TO KILL A BIRD, TELL US WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL HUNTER WOULD NEED TO DO.
>> THESE BANDS ARE HELD ON BY RIVETS.
WE APPLY THEM WITH A POP RIVET GUN.
THEY'VE GOT A UNIQUE NUMBER ON IT AND WE HAVE GOT INSTRUCTIONS ON HERE THAT TELLS YOU HOW TO REPORT THEM ON OUR WEBSITE.
GO TO THE WEBSITE AND YOU WILL FIND A LINK THERE AND YOU WILL ENTER THAT NUMBER THAT UNIQUE NUMBER, THAT WILL BE GREAT INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THIS IS WHAT MOST STATES USE FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS BUT JOE, DO YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN THIS OLDY BUT GOODY RIGHT HERE.
>> SURE THIS IS A BAND I HARVESTED ON MY FIRST LONG BEARD IN 1990.
LIKELY THE FIRST TURKEY KILLED IN HENDERSON COUNTY.
IT WAS AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD BIRD.
>> SO ALL THE BIRDS BACK THEN WHEN WE RELEASE BIRDS, KIND OF LIKE WHEN WE EAR TAG THE ELK, ALL OF THEM HAD ONE OF THESE BANDS ON THERE SO I'M GUESSING THE BIOLOGISTS THAT THE BIRD HAD SOMEHOW DIED OR EIGHT YEARS LATER, LO AND BEHOLD, THAT BIRD IS STILL OUT THERE AND IT HAD BEEN WEARING THIS BAND FOR THE EIGHT YEARS, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
INCREDIBLE.
ONLY AN INCH AND EIGHTH SPURS.
ONE WAS AN INCH AND ONE WAS AN INCH AND AN EIGHTH.
IT WAS VERY POINTED AND VERY SHARP.
>> THAT IS REALLY COOL.
OBVIOUSLY THE BANDS HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.
NOT A POP RIVET.
JUST THE SQUEEZE TYPE BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
TAKING A BIRD WITH A BAND ON IT THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY OUT THERE.
IT'S A SPECIAL DEAL.
>> WELL, LET'S GET TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.
WE'VE GOT THEM COMING IN VIA FACEBOOK.
THE SEASON IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
YOUTH SEASON COMES IN FIRST HERE IN KENTUCKY AND THAT'S TWO-DAY SEASON.
ARE ANY OF YOU GUYS TAKING A YOUTH OUT THIS YEAR?
>> MY NEPHEW BRADEN, SHOUT OUT TO HIM.
WE WILL BE HUNTING IN BUTLER COUNTY, I BELIEVE.
>> AND MY SON ASHTON AND PERHAPS MY DAUGHTER TAMARA WILL BE GOING.
SHE HAS TAKEN A TURKEY BUT HASN'T HUNTED SINCE HER FIRST YEAR OF TURKEY HUNTING.
I WOULD LIKE TO GET A PICTURE WITH BOTH KIDS WITH TURKEYS.
>> SERGEANT, ARE YOU TAKING A KID OUT THIS YEAR.
>> I HAVE A GRANDSON THAT'S SIX WEEKS OLD SO HE IS NOT READY BUT HE WILL BE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.
>> YES, SIR.
>> I'M ALREADY HEARING SOME BIRDS GOBBLING AND HEARING PEOPLE SAYING THEY HEAR BIRDS GOBBLING.
YOU ARE OUT THERE IN THE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AROUND THE LAKES, SPENDING SUNRISE ON A BASS BOAT.
THAT'S WHERE YOU REALLY HEAR THEM AND IT'S STARTING TO HAPPEN SO HOPEFULLY THIS YEAR WE HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND FOR YOUTH AND THEY GET OUT THERE AND TAKE PLENTY OF BIRDS LET'S SEE, FIRST QUESTION FROM CHANDLER BARNS.
WHAT DOES THE TURKEY POP LAIGHTS LOOK LIKE NOW VERSUS 20 YEARS AGO.
DO YOU HAVE HISTORICAL DATA OF 20 AND 10 AND NOW AND TELL US WHERE WE ARE AT?
>> YEAH, I DON'T HAVE EXACT NUMBERS BUT I CAN GIVE YOU THE TREND SORT OF.
SO 20 YEARS AGO, 2002, WE, OUR HARVEST WASN'T AT THE LEVEL WE ARE AT NOW.
WE WERE WELL BELOW 30,000, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE KIND OF AVERAGED THE LAST 10 YEARS.
SO THE POPULATION WAS CLIMBING.
IT WAS STILL KIND OF ON THE INCREASE AND, YOU KNOW, FAST FORWARD TO NEXT EIGHT, 10 YEARS, THAT INCREASE CONTINUED.
WE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD HATCHES.
THE PEAK WAS IN 2010.
AND, MAN, JUST BIRDS EVERYWHERE.
BUT SOME OF THAT WAS BECAUSE THE BIRDS HAD A LOT OF FOOD.
WE HAD CICADAS OUT ON THE LANDSCAPE IN 2008.
WHEN YOU HAVE GOOD HATCHES, ESPECIALLY MULTIPLE YEARS IN A ROW, YOUR POPULATION CAN GROW REAL QUICKLY.
BUT OVER TIME, WHEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN-- I MEAN THIS JUST HAPPENS, WHEN WILDLIFE POPULATIONS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN A WHILE, THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK DOWN AND START TO FLUCTUATE AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW.
WE ARE IN THIS SORT OF FLUCTUATING PERIOD.
>> YOU KNOW, LAKES DO THE SAME THING.
WHEN THERE IS A NEW LAKE IMPOUNDED.
THERE IS A BOOM.
LIKE THIS IS THE GREATEST LAKE EVER AND THEN THEY HIT A PERIOD AND YOU START GETTING SOME OF THE CYCLICAL.
SO I GUESS THAT'S COMMON IN AWLD WILDLIFE.
>> IT IS.
THING ABOUT NATURE, IT NEVER STAYS THE SAME.
WE WANT THINGS TO STAY THE SAME BUT THEY DON'T.
>> OKAY.
SO RIGHT NOW OUR NUMBERS COMPARED TO 2010, WE ARE DOWN FROM THERE.
>> DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
>> WE DON'T SEE AS MANY HUGE FLOCKS BUT WE HAVE A HEALTHY TURKEY POPULATION.
>> 20 YEARS AGO OUR NUMBERS WERE STABLE, OR UP?
YOU SAID WE WERE STILL GROWING?
>> WE HAD MORE TURKEYS PROBABLY THAN WE DID 20 YEARS AGO.
I DON'T KNOW OUR HARVEST IN 2002 OFFHAND BUT WE DIDN'T TOP 30,000 UNTIL 2010, I KNOW THAT.
SO WE HAD A LOT OF TURKEYS BY THAT POINT AND THE WEATHER CAN BE DEPENDENT.
UNLESS YOU TIME YOUR DAYS OFF, WEATHER CAN DRIVE TURKEY HARVEST DRAMATICALLY.
>> IN A TURKEY SEASON LIKE OURS, IT'S TIGHT.
WE NEED GOOD WEATHER DAYS.
WE SAW THAT LAST YEAR.
WE HAD SOME RECORD COLD AND SNOW IN PARTS OF THE STATE LAST YEAR.
I MEAN IT WAS-- SOME OF THE WEEKENDS WERE NOT GOOD.
PLUS YOU HAD HOLIDAYS THAT HURTS PEOPLE FINDING TIME TO GO.
>> NEXT, MITCH FROM FACEBOOK, WHO IS GOING TO BE TAKING HIS GRANDSONS, SIX AND SEVEN YEARS OLD HUNTING DURING THE YOUTH TURKEY SEASON, HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT TYPE OF LICENSE AND TAGS HE NEEDS AND WHAT THE BAG LIMIT IS FOR A YOUTH TURKEY HUNTER.
>> THOSE YOUTH AT THAT AGE IS LICENSED EXEMPT.
UNTIL THEY GET TO THE AGE OF 12 AND 15, THEY NEED TO BUY A LICENSE TUT AT THAT AGE THEY'RE LICENSED EXEMPT.
MOST VIOLATIONS WE SEE IS PEOPLE THAT TAKE THOSE YOUTH HUNTING, THEY FORGET TO HARVEST OR TAKE THEIR BIRD IN AND FILL OUT THEIR HARVEST LOG SO THEY WOULD NEED TO DO THAT.
IT'S ONE BIRD LIMIT PER DAY.
AND THEN STATEWIDE LIMITS TWO BIRDS PER PERSON.
THEY CAN HARVEST THAT DURING THE YOUTH SEASON OR THEY CAN TAKE THEM AGAIN DURING JUST THE MODERN SEASON AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS THEY HARVEST TWO BIRDS.
>> SO YOU DON'T NEED A LICENSE OR A TAG IF YOU ARE UNDER 12 AND THAT IS FOR THE TURKEY SEASON AND YOU CAN HUNT NOT ONLY THE TWO DAYS FOR YOUTH BUT THE REGULAR SEASON.
>> RIGHT.
>> BUT YOU DO NEED TO GO ONLINE OR PRODUCE A HARVEST LOG.
AND HAVE YOU TO FILL THAT OUT AND TELECHECK IT.
>> BUT AS FAR AS AN ACTUAL LICENSE OR TAGS, THAT'S NOT REQUIRED 12 AND UNDER, RIGHT.
>> RIGHT.
>> UNDER 12.
12-15 HAS A YOUTH LICENSE AND PERMIT.
>> THERE YOU GO.
>> WHAT DOES THE COLOR OF A TOM'S HEAD INDICATE.
THIS IS PROBABLY UP YOUR ALLEY.
>> THAT'S THE COLOR OF HORMONES RAGING.
THAT'S WHAT THAT IS.
SO WHAT COLOR ARE THEY NORMAL?
>> THEY'RE KIND OF A BLUISH WHITISH ANYWAY, GOBBLERS MORE THAN HENS.
BLUISH GRAY.
GOBBLERS ARE MORE WHITISH BUT IT REALLY TURNS ON RED, WHITE AND BLUE.
IT JUST MEANS THE GOBBLER IS FEELING IT.
EATS THAT TIME OF YEAR AND LOTS-- BIOLOGICALLY HE IS AT HIS PEAK AND WANTING TO REPRODUCE.
>> THAT'S WHEN THEIR HEADS GET BRIGHT.
AND JOE CAN TELL FROM YOU THE TIMES WE HAVE HAD-- HUNTERS KNOW, THE DECOYS SOMETIMES, IN AN INSTANT, IT CAN TOTALLY CHANGE THEIR MOOD.
>> YOU CAN SEE THEIR ATTITUDE CHANGE, GO FROM WHITE TO RED.
>> COMPARE THAT TO A BUCK IN A RUT OR ELK THAT IS RUTTING.
>> INSTAGRAM QUESTION.
ARE THERE ANY NEW LAWS THAT UPDATES THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT PERTAINS TO TURKEY HUNTING THIS YEAR?
>> NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
>> SO NOTHING NEW.
IF YOU KNEW ALL THE RULES AND REGULATIONS LAST YEAR, YOU ARE ALL SET.
JUST THE DATES CHANGED.
>> I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND GETTING A HUNTING GUIDE.
I THINK YOU HAVE ONE THERE AND DEFINITELY READING THAT AND BEING UP TO DATE ON THAT.
>> YEAH FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE HUNTING GUIDE.
YOU CAN PICK THIS UP WITH MANY OF YOUR LOCAL HUNTING AND FISHING STORES, ANYWHERE THAT SELLS AMMUNITION OR LICENSES.
BUT IT'S ALSO AVAILTABLE ONLINE.
YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND READ IT THERE AND PRINT IT OFF.
IF YOU ARE A YOUTH AND YOU DON'T NEED A LICENSE, YOU CAN GO ON THERE AND PRINT YOUR HARVEST LOG AND THAT'S A REALLY GOOD THING TO HAVE BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE THE HARVEST LONG HARVEST LOG, YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMEMBER THE DATA AND INFORMATION.
YOU PRINT IT OUT, FILL IT IN AND YOU ARE GOOD TO GO WHICH REMINDS ME, YOU NEED TO TAKE AN INK PEN.
>> I LIKE A PENCIL BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A POCKET KNIFE, YOU CAN SHARPEN IT.
>> I TRIED ONE TIME AND MADE A MESS.
>> AND NEXT QUESTION, BILLIE FROM FACEBOOK.
HE THINKS THE FALL SEASON SHOULD BE STOPPED OR AT LEAST HENS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE TAKEN TO HELP OUT THE TURKEY POPULATION.
SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SPRING TURKEY SEASON BECAUSE THAT'S ONE THAT IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT A FALL TURKEY SEASON.
TELL US ABOUT THE FALL TURKEY SEASON AND WHY WE HAVE A FALL TURKEY SEASON.
>> SURE.
>> UNLIKE SOME STATES THAT HAD TURKEY POPULATIONS LONG BEFORE US, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LOSE ALL THEIR TURKEYS ORIGINALLY, VIRGINIA, PENNSYLVANIA, THEY HAD STRONG FALL TURKEY HUNTING TRADITIONS.
IN FACT, THAT'S WHEN YOU HUNTED TURKEYS MOSTLY.
THE SPRING HUNTING TRADITION DIDN'T START UP UNTIL THE 50S, 60S, 70s AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TURKEYS TO AMOUNT TO ANYTHING AT THAT TIME.
SO HE WOULD RESTORED OUR TURKEYS, IT'S LIKE WE STARTED WITH THE EXCITEMENT OF SPRING HUNTING BUT FALL HUNTING IS SORT OF A TRADITIONAL THING BUT THE CONCERN WITH FALL HUNTING IS THAT BIRDS ARE FLOCKED UP.
AND YOU CAN TAKE HENS.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ASK ABOUT THAT A LOT.
BUT RESEARCHERS HAVE STUDIED IT THROUGH TIME THAT AS LONG AS YOU ARE NOT HARVESTING BUT JUST A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF YOUR POPULATION, MOST HEALTHY POPULATIONS CAN SUSTAIN THAT SOME STATES NOW DON'T HAVE FALL TURKEY SEASONS IN FACT, IT'S NOT IN EFFECT THIS SEASON AND IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE REGULATION APPROVAL AND CHANGE PROCESS BUT OUR COMMISSION DID, AT OUR DECEMBER COMMISSION MEETING, APPROVE A REGULATION CHANGE TO NO LONGER HARVEST HENS IN THE FALL.
>> OKAY.
SO AGAIN THAT WILL MOST LIKELY BE NOT THIS COMING FALL BUT THE FOLLOWING FALL.
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S A PRETTY COOL OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT AND TURKEY HUNT IN THE FALL.
IT'S DIFFERENT.
MUCH, MUCH DIFFERENT.
BUT HERE IN KENTUCKY IT'S A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE BIRDS.
HOW MANY BIRDS DO YOU TAKE IN THE FALL?
IN RECENT YEARS WE STRUGGLE TO KILL 2000 COMPARED TO 30,000 IN THE SPRING.
AND AND AS I SAID, THE FALL HARVEST RATE IF YOU HAVE HARVESTED SIX, 7, 8% IN THE FALL, THAT COULD CAUSE THE POPULATION TO DECLINE BUT WE ARE VERY, VERY FAR BELOW THAT BECAUSE FALL HUNTING IS NOT THAT POPULAR NOW.
SO PRESSURE ON THE POPULATION IN THE FALL IS JUST NOT THAT GREAT.
BUT AGAIN THE COMMISSION OUT OF ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION HAS MOVED TO REDUCE HARVEST PRESSURE FURTHER, BECAUSE ABOUT 60% OF OUR FALL HARVEST, 60% OF THOSE 2000 BIRDS ARE FEMALE BIRDS OR CHECKED AS FEMALES.
>> WITH THE RULES AND REGULATION CHANGES, I MEAN CURRENTLY NOW, AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A SEASON WHERE YOU CAN TAKE BIRDS-- THIS UPCOMING FALL IN 2022, THE SEASON WILL BE OPEN.
OUT OF THOSE BIRDS, YOU ARE GIVING THE NUMBERS A COUPLE THOUSAND BIRDS, IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ARCHERY HUNTERS THAT ARE DEER HUNTING, ONCE THAT OPPORTUNITY BECOMES AVAILABLE, MAY TRY TO TAKE A BIRD WITH A BOW.
IS THAT ALSO GOING TO BE TAKEN AWAY AS FAR AS HENS?
>> IT WILL BE ACROSS THE BOARD, REGARDLESS OF EQUIPMENT TYPE.
>> THAT'S SOMETHING IF YOU ARE AN ARCHER AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THAT FALL TURKEY TAG AND YOU ARE CONSIDERING IT, NOT FOR THIS YEAR, BUT KEEP UP WITH THE RULES AND REGS BECAUSE THAT MAY BE CHANGING.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> NEXT QUESTION HERE IS FROM BRANDON.
IT'S A FACEBOOK QUESTION.
THERE IS ANY CONCERN THAT ELIMINATING HEN HARVEST IN THE FALL AND STILL BEING ABLE TO TAKE THREE TIMES A YEAR THAT WE WILL END UP WITH A RATIO PROBLEM?
WE ARE NOT REALLY GETTING THAT MANY HENS IN THE FALL TO AFFECT THAT MUCH, BUT TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WEIRDEST THING IS IF YOU HAVE HUNTED TURKEYS, YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN MORE 10S THAN TOMS, RIGHT?
OR EVEN TOMS AND JAKES COMBINED.
HOW DOES THAT TAKE PLACE WHEN WE ARE PRETTY MUCH HARVESTING ONLY MALE BIRDS.
TELL ME HOW THAT ALL WORKS OUT.
>> TO THE QUESTION THERE, HE HAS ASKED, IF WE ARE GOING SHIFT THE PRESSURE ON THE GOBBLERS WHEN WE CAN NO LONGER HARVEST HENS.
>> THAT'S WHAT HE IS SAYING.
HE IS CONCERNED THAT IF THERE IS SO MANY HENS, THAT HUNTING FOR A TOM IN THE SPRING IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE HENNED UP.
>> YEAH, I MEAN CERTAINLY WE HAVE ALL THAT HAD THAT SITUATION WHERE BIRDS ARE-- GOBBLERS ARE HENNED UP AND THAT'S FRUSTRATING AND IT IS.
AND THESE GUYS CAN ADD THEIR THOUGHT.
MY TAKE ON IT IS WELL, THAT MAY BE FRUSTRATING TO YOU AS A HUNTER IN THAT MOMENT.
IF YOU ARE PATIENT, HUNT THE REST OF THE SEASON, YOU ARE PROBABLY GOING TO GET OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE THAT MEANS THERE ARE SEVERAL HENS OUT THERE TO BE BRED THAT WILL NEST, THAT WILL HAVE BROODS.
YOU HAVE TO THINK AHEAD OF TIME.
WE WANT THOSE HENS TO BE OUT THERE.
I'VE HEARD PEOPLE JUST COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT BUT IT'S A GOOD THING TO HAVE THE HENS HE IS SAYING IF WE DON'T HARVEST HENS IN THE FALL, WE ARE STOCKPILING THEM AND CARRYING THEM OVER AND THAT'S TRUE, BUT AGAIN CURRENTLY WE ARE NOT HARVESTING THAT MANY HENS.
BRUT IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT, BY NOT BEING ABLE TO HARVEST HENS WE ARE GOING TO SHIFT THE PRESSURE ON THE GOBBLERS, IT COULD HAPPEN TO A CERTAIN DEGREE BUT I DON'T EXPECT IT TO BE GREAT JUST BECAUSE AGAIN FALL TURKEY HUNTING IS NOT THAT POPULAR, UNFORTUNATELY.
IT IS A GREAT SPORT, ABOUT OF, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD TO IT?
WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE PURSUING IT.
>> HAVING MORE HENS MEANS MORE TURKEYS IN THE FUTURE.
IT'S NOT A BAD THING TO HAVE AND IF THE GOBBLERS ARE HENNED UP.
THAT'S NATURE'S WAY OF TAKING CARE OF ITSELF.
JUST THE WAY IT IS.
PATIENTS.
>> IT'S INTERESTING.
YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, KEEP PURSUING THAT BIRD BECAUSE THE NEXT DAY, I HAVE SEEN, SOMETIMES A COURTSHIP DOESN'T LAST THAT LONG.
YOU CAN VERY-- I MEAN YOU WILL SEE A GOBBLER PURSUE MULTIPLE PENS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
THERE IS A VERY GOOD CHANCE IF YOU DON'T BLOW THAT BIRD OUT, IF YOU DON'T SPOOK THAT BIRD, YOU GOT IN QUIET, THAT TOM DOESN'T KNOW YOU ARE THERE AND HE IS HENNED UP, YOU CAN HOLD OUT A COUPLE HOURS.
THERE IS A VERY GOOD CHANCE YOU ARE GOING TO GET THE BIRD BACK TO YOU.
YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT.
YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO SIT THERE AND MAKE A DAY OF IT BUT I'VE SEEN MANY HENNED UP TOMS BECOME AVAILABLE TO DECOY IN OR CALL IN LATER IN THE DAY.
>> PATIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN SKILLS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT ALL THESE CALLS AND WE GOT ALL THESE DECOYS AND SO MANY GREAT THINGS.
LISTEN, I'M A GEAR GUY, A GADGET GUY.
PREPARING FOR THE HUNT IS AS MUCH FUN AS THE HUNT SOMETIMES SO I LOVE ALL THIS STUFF.
WE GOT CALLS HERE GALORE BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
THERE IS PROBABLY BEEN AS MANY TURKEYS TAKEN BY A QUIET VERY STILL WELL CAMOUFLAGED TURKEY HUNTER, NO CALLS, NO DECOYS, NOTHING YOU YOU SIT THERE STILL AND YOU WILL GET YOUR CHANCE IF YOU ARE HUNTING AN AREA THAT HAS BIRDS IN THE AREA.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO TAKE BIRDS WITH NO CALLS WHATSOEVER.
THEY JUST HUNT AREAS AND KNOW WHERE THE ROOSTING SITES ARE AND THEY TRY TO GET DOWN AWAY FROM THOSE IN AN AREA THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO FLY DOWN AND FEED IN THE DAY DAYTIME AND THEY JUST SIT STILL.
IT CAN WORK.
>> IT CAN.
IT TAKES A LOT OF FUN OUT OF IT.
I LIKE THE RESPONSE.
I'LL TAKE ALL THESE CALLS, DON'T GET ME WRONG BUT IF YOU FEEL LIKE MAN, I REALLY WANT TO PICK UP THIS TURKEY HUNTING, BUT I DON'T HAVE $100 FOR A DECOY.
I DON'T KNOW WHICH CALLS I NEED SO THAT MEANS I NEED ONE OF ALL OF THEM, RIGHT?
IT REALLY DOESN'T NECESSARILY WORK THAT WAY, I MEAN IF YOU WANT TO GET OUT AND EXPERIENCE TURKEY HUNTING, GET YOU ONE CALL, YOU KNOW, WE GOT SEVERAL DIFFERENT CALLS HERE.
THIS IS ONE OF YOUR CALLS HERE IF YOU WANT TO LEARN TO TURKEY HUNT AND YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO LEARN HOW TO WORK A DIAPHRAM CALL OR YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO MESS WITH A SLATE CALL.
THIS IS YOUR CALL RIGHT HERE, RIGHT?
THERE IS SOMETIMES THEY WILL CALL IN TURKEYS WHEN NOTHING ELSE WILL.
>> AND IT'S AS SIMPLE AS ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS PUSH IT.
YOU HAVE TO PUSH IT THE RIGHT WAY.
>> ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS PUSH IT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL HOLD A CALL LIKE THIS WITH THEIR SHOTGUN BECAUSE YOU CAN LITERALLY STILL GET, WITH VERY LITTLE MOVEMENT, YOU CAN STILL MAKE THAT THING SOUND BETTER THAN I CAN.
I PUSHED IT THE WRONG WAY.
I.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT I USED IT-- (TURKEY CALLING) >> YEAH, THE PUSH PULL.
NOW THESE TYPE OF CALLS, I GOT SOME CALLS HERE, TOO, AND I HOPE YOU DON'T ASK ME TO MAKE THEM WORK BECAUSE MANY OF THESE CALLS NEED TO BE TUNED.
THESE TYPE OF CALLS HERE, THIS IS A GLASS CALL.
SLATE CALLS, ALUMINUM CALLS, A BUNCH MUCH DIFFERENT CALLS AND THEY ALL HAVE THEIR UNIQUE SOUND AND CERTAIN TIMES THEY'RE A LITTLE BETTER.
IF YOU ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE IT'S WET, SOME CALLS DON'T WORK AS WELL AS OTHERS.
YOU HAVE DIFFERENT STRIKERS.
ALL OF THEM THE STRIKER HAS GOT THIS TIP ON THERE.
THAT'S A REALLY GOOD-- IF I'M IN WET CONDITIONS, THIS IS WHAT I'M USING BUT YOU SEE HOW THEY'RE ALL SCRATCHED UP.
IF YOU GET ONE OF THESE CALLS RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX AND YOU GO TO YOUR LOCAL STORE AND YOU PICK UP A TURKEY CALL, AND YOU GET THAT THING HOME AND YOU ARE LIKE MAN, I CAN'T MAKE THIS SOUND LIKE A TURKEY AT ALL.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
BECAUSE RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX, THERE AIN'T NOBODY WHO CAN MAKE THEM SOUND VERY GOOD.
THEY TAKE A LITTLE WORKING.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS IS ALL SCRATCHED UP.
THAT IS FROM TAKING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, A FILE, SOMETIMES THEY COME WITH THEM.
YOU CAN GET THESE.
YOU ROUGH THAT GLASS UP.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE ON THIS ALUMINUM ONE, I HAVE ROUGHED THIS GLASS UP.
IT MAKES IT SOUND TOTALLY DIFFERENT AS SOON AS YOU TOUCH THAT SAME THING WITH THIS ONE HERE SLATED CALLS EXACTLY THE SAME SITUATION SO IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE.
>> EVEN THESE YOU NEED TO PAINING SURE THE TAPE AROUND THERE FITS YOUR MOUTH YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TRIM IT.
>> THEY CAN BE TRIMMED AND MADE TO FIT YOUR MOUTH.
YOU WANT A SOUND THAT SOUNDS DIFFERENT.
YOU CAN TAKE A DIFFERENT WOOD ON THE STRIKER AND PUT IT ON THE SAME CALL AND IT WILL SOUND DIFFERENT.
THAT'S THE FUN PART IS MESSING WITH THE GEAR AND PLAYING AROUND WITH IT.
BUT YOU DON'T NEED A GLASS CALL, A SLATE CALL ALUMINUM CALL, BOX CALL-- WE HAVE A BOX CALL HERE, TOO YOU DON'T NEED ONE OF ALL OF THEM TO GET STARTED IN TURKEY HUNTING.
YOU NEED A SHOTGUN THAT HAS A NICE TIGHT CHOKE TUBE OR A FULL CHOKE, AMMO YOU HAVE PATTERNED AND CAM CAMOUFLAGE AND YOU ARE READY TO GET OUT AND GIVE IT A TRY.
WHAT TYPE OF CALL DO YOU PREFER?
>> BOX CALL.
>> THIS IS A BOX CALL.
WHAT IS THE REASON YOU LIKE THE BOX CALL?
>> IT'S VERSATILE.
YOU CAN REALLY GET ON IT AND GET ONE GOBBLING IN THE DISTANCE OR BACK IT OFF AND FOLKS WANT IN AT A CLOSE DISTANCE, TOO.
>> I DON'T USE THEM A TON BUT THIS IS A GREAT LOCATOR CALL.
THEY'RE LOUD AREN'T THEY.
YOU CAN REALLY GET SOME VOLUME AND GET THEM TO CARRY.
YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU USE A BOX CALL MUCH AS YOU START PULLING THEM OUT OF HERE.
BOX THAT ONE.
SO THEY CAN SOUND REALLY, REALLY GOOD AND COVER SOME DISTANCE.
>> THIS BEING.
>> DO YOU USE A BOX CALL QUITE OFTEN?
>> DO I.
>> PROBABLY MAKES HIS OWN.
>> I HAVEN'T DELVED INTO THAT YET.
>> NEXT YEAR WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT NEXT YEAR NEXT QUESTION FROM GLEN FROM WEST LIBERTY.
IS IT LEGAL TO HUNT TURKEYS WITH A 410 THOMPSON CENTER HAND GUN.
>> YES, IT WILL BE LEGAL.
REACH BROADING OR MUZZLE LOADING.
THOMPSON CENTER SINGLE SHOT, 410, YOU CAN HUNT WITH THAT.
>> NEXT QUESTION, KYLE TIPTON.
GREAT EFFORTS.
AS AN AVID HUNTER AND CONSERVATIONIST, WHAT ARE WAYS TO IMPROVE TURKEY NESTING HABITAT.
YOU TALKED ABOUT NOT MOWING.
TELL ME WHAT TYPE OF HABITAT DOZEN THEY REALLY WANT TO NEST IN?
>> NATIVE GRASSES ARE A GOOD START IF THEY'RE NOT TOO THICK.
THEY HAVE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN A LOT OF PLACES.
STRIP DISKING OR CREATING, YOU KNOW, DISK AREAS THAT GROWS UP IN RAGWEED AND BRIARS OVER TIME.
THOSE ARE AREAS I SEE TURKEYS NESTING IN A LOT.
MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE CUTTING HAY, LIKE TALL ALFALFA OR RED CLOVER END UP CUTTING UP TURKEY NESTS.
THEY LIKE TO NEST IN LARGE FIELDS.
THEY HAVE THOSE LEGUMES AND INSECTS.
SO AVOIDING MOWING DURING MAY AND JUNE IS REALLY KEY THING IF YOU CAN DO IT.
>> WHEN ARE-- WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD DATE TO SAY 90 TO 95% OF THE VIABLE TURKEY NESTS HAVE HATCHED?
WHEN IS THAT DATED?
>> PROBABLY MID JULY SECOND NEST WOULD BE MOSTLY STARTING TO.
BUT THAT'S WHEN THE BULK OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE FINISHED.
IF YOU CAN STAY OFF YOUR MOWER UNTIL AUGUST, YOU WOULD BE HELPING A THE LO BUT OF COURSE WE ALSO WANT MORE SO, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE YOU TO STAY OFF EVEN LONGER.
IT'S TOUGH IF YOU ARE TRYING TO CUT QUALITY HAY.
TIMING IS TOUGH BECAUSE RIGHT WHEN THE FIRST CUTTING IS GOOD.
THAT'S RIGHT WHEN YOU DON'T NEED TO BE CUTTING IF YOU HAVE HEY OPERATIONS, TRY TO DEDICATE OPERATIONS NEARBY THAT YOU ARE NOT CUTTING.
CERTAINLY DON'T MOW BUSH HOG NEAR WHERE YOU ARE CUTTING HAY JUST BECAUSE YOU WASN'T TO CLEAN IT UP.
NOT AT THAT TIME OF YEAR.
>> SO YOU AND I DO THE SHOW.
WE WERE OUT LOOKING FOR QUAIL IN AND PARTICULAR LAND OWNER HAD A BARRIER, A BUFFER ZONE HOW COMMON IS IT THAT A TURKEY WILL NEST RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HAY FIELDS?
>> RESEARCH HAS SHOWN QUITE OFTEN TURKEY NESTS ARE RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE WOODS BUT THEY'RE OUT IN IT.
I MEAN WHEN YOU HAVE A SEA OF HABITAT SHOUT OUT TO MIKE RILEY LOGAN COUNTY WHEN YOU HAVE A SEA OF HABITAT, THE BIRD COULD BE ANYWHERE.
HOW MANY TURKEYS DID WE MOVE THAT DAY WE BUMPED A GOOD FALL FLOCK THAT DAY.
AGAIN, AS A LAND OWNER, YOU REALLY WANT TO TAKE THE ADVICE OF THE BIOLOGISTS BECAUSE HE CAN HELP MAKE YOUR WHOLE PLACE BETTER.
ONE THING ABOUT IT, I CAN GIVE YOU STATISTICS BUT TURKEYS ARE STURKY TURKEYS AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT SOMETIMES.
YOU WANT TO HEDGE YOUR BETS WHENEVER YOU CAN.
>> YOU GOT TO RAISE A HAY CROP.
THAT'S DIFFERENT.
YOU CAN STILL BE DONE BUT DON'T JUST BE MOWING TO BE MOWING AT THAT TIME OF YEAR.
THE NEXT QUESTION, FACEBOOK QUESTION.
WHAT IS THE BEST DECOY COMBINATION?
MAN, THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION RIGHT HERE I'M GOING TO LISTEN INTENTLY, IT SEEMS LIKE IT CAN CHANGE DEPENDING HOW AGGRESSIVE AND HOT THAT BIRD IS.
WHAT IS YOUR BEST TURKEY DECOY COMBINATION.
I DON'T USE DECOYS VERY OFTEN BUT WHEN I DO, I HAVE BEEN TURNED ON BY SEMI-AGGRESSIVE JAKES BECAUSE MY EMPHASIS HAS SHIFTED TO BOW HUNTING AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING.
>> IF YOU ARE TRYING TO BOW HUNT, GETTING THEM IN RANGE, THAT CAN BE REALLY GOOD.
>> I HAVE MORE DECOYS THAN I EVER NEEDED REALLY RECENTLY HAVE GOTTEN TURNED ON TO A DECOY WITH A BREEDING HEN AND A JAKE IT HAS, AGAIN, BOW HUNTING, YOU HAVE TO GET THEM CLOSE AND I HAVE SEEN BETTER RESPONSES TO THAT THAN ANYTHING I'VE EVER USED I DON'T WANT TO ENDORSE ANYBODY BUT IT'S AN EXPENSIVE DECOY BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD LOOKING REALISTIC DECOYS IT'S JUST THE POSTURE OF THIS DECOY INFURIATES GOBBLERS.
>> YOU BROUGHT A DECOY HERE DIDN'T YOU.
>> I HAVE STUMPY.
THIS IS A FAN WITH A BLOCK OF BOOED I'LL STAKE IT OUT AND DRIVE A STAKE IN THE GROUND AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER STRING THAT I CAN MOVE THIS, WITHOUT BEING OUT THERE MOVING IT.
AND IT WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IF A GOBBLER COMES OUT THAT ISN'T GOING TO WORK AND I CAN MAKE THIS THING CURN 90° AND THEN BACK AND THEN EVEN FLIP IT OVER ON THE GROUND WHERE IT'S LAYING THERE LIKE THAT.
IT'S VERY EFFECTIVE.
>> I CALL THAT STUMPY AND THAT IS JUST A TURKEY THAT YOU HARVESTED AT A DIFFERENT TIME AND LAID IT OUT, PUT SOME BORAX ON IT AND PINNED IT OUT ON SOME -- HOW DID YOU DO IT?
>> IT'S JUST A FAN LIKE WOULD YOU DO A DISPLAY.
IT'S NOT QUITE SPREAD AS FAR AS I WOULD LIKE.
IT IS WHAT IT IS AND I SENT THE HEAD OFF AND HAD IT FREEZE DRIED AND I PAINTED THAT MYSELF.
>> THERE YOU GO.
YOU WANTED TO SEE THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE.
THERE'S WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
>> BEAT UP A FEW TIMES.
YOU CAN SEE THE OLD INTOED THERE.
>> THERE YOU GO.
SERGEANT, WHAT TYPE OF DECOYS DO YOU LIKE?
>> I LIKE THE JAKE ALL AROUND I THINK THE JAKE IS A GOOD CHOICE.
>> WE USUALLY USE A JAKE-HEN COMBINATION.
I WILL TELL YOU, I HAVE, IF YOU HAVE TURKEY HUNTED A LONG TIME AND HAVE HAD BIRDS WORKING YOUR WAY TURN AROUND YOU IMMEDIATELY THINK THAT MUST HAVE BEEN THE DECOYS.
I HAVE TAKEN DECOYS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HUNT MANY A DAYS THINKING FOR WHATEVER REASON IT'S NOT WORKING.
PROBABLY NOT WHAT IT IS BUT IT CHANGES THE GAME FOR ME AND KEEPS YOUR CONFIDENCE UP AND KEEPS YOU OUT THERE I DO USUALLY USE A DECOY BUT THERE ARE DAYS WE TAKE THEM DOWN OR DON'T PUT THEM DOWN AT ALL.
IT'S ONE EXTRA THING TO CARRY.
IF I WAS CARRYING THAT, HOW DO YOU GET IT IN AND OUT?
>> AGAIN, I'M USUALLY BOW HUNTING SO I CARRY IT IN AND SET IT UP I KNOW A LOT OF THESE BAGS DO HAVE A POCKET OR SOMETHING WITH HUNTER'S ORANGE ON IT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOME HUNTER'S ORANGE BECAUSE REAPING, TURKEY REAPING IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BECOME VERY, VERY POPULAR, GIVE US A DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT TURKEY REAPING IS NOW THAT HAVE YOU THAT IN YOUR HAND.
>> REAPING IS GETTING THE BIRDS THAT ARE IN OPEN FIELDS THAT CAN SEE A LONG WAYS OFF AND YOU CAN CONCEAL YOURSELF WITH A FAN OR A DECOY SUCH AS THIS AND PRESENT IT TO THE BIRDS THEY'LL LET YOU GET CLOSE AND CHARGE YOU SOMETIMES BUT AGAIN, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON THERE.
>> I WOULD NEVER DO THAT IN A WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA.
YOU COULDN'T PAY ME ENOUGH TO DO THAT AND I WOULDN'T DO IT ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT I HAVE TRESPASSING ISSUES BECAUSE YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE YOURSELF SMALL AND LOOK LIKE A BIRD.
>> RIGHT.
>> WELL THAT'S SO REALISTIC LOOKING, IF YOU ARE DOWN BEHIND IT AND YOU ARE COMING IN LIKE THIS, YOU LOOK LIKE SMALL LIKE A BIRD, AND THERE ARE OTHER HUNTERS OUT THERE, I MEAN YOU COULD BE ASKING TO ARE TROUBLE.
BE VERY CAUSE OF ACTIONER.
>> IT IS VERY POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS.
>> YEP, BUT IT CAN BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
>> I HAVE HAD TO DO SELF-DEFENSE BEFORE WITH THE BIRDS COMING AT YOU THEY WERE COMING AT ME SO HARD, IT SCARED ME.
>> THAT'S INTERESTING NEXT QUESTION HERE IS FROM INSTAGRAM QUESTION FROM SEAN HOLT.
WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THE DECLINING POPULATION IN THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES TO.
WE TALKED ABOUT DECLINE, IT IS TAKING PLACE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND IT IS TAKING PLACE IN A LOT OF STATES IN THE SOUTHEAST.
NOT JUST HERE IN KENTUCKY BUT A LOT OF STATES ARE EXPERIENCING DIDDY KLINES.
I KNOW YOU GUYS WHERE YOU GET TOGETHER AND YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON AND WHAT YOU ARE SEEING.
TELL US WHAT YOU ARE DISCUSSING.
>> IT'S NOT JUST THE SOUTHEAST.
IT'S ALSO THE NORTHEAST AND THE MIDWEST YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
WE ARE SEVERAL DECADES BEYOND WHEN MOST STATES STARTED THEIR TURKEY RESTORATION PROGRAMS.
I MEAN A LOT OF STATES, CAPTURING RELEASING BIRDS ABOUT THE SAME TIME WE WERE AND NOBODY KNOWS FOR SURE BUT WE ALL KNOW IT'S PROBABLY COMPLEX AND A VARIETY OF THINGS.
WHAT WE KNOW IS WE ARE NOT-- TURKEYS ARE NOT REPRODUCING AT THE LEVEL THEY DID IN THE EARLY 80s, 90s WHEN OUR POPULATION WAS SHOOTING UP REALLY FAST.
WE HAVE COME DOWN TO A LOWER REPRODUCTIVE LEVEL AND THAT'S ALL ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST.
WE HAVE SEEN THIS DECLINE.
NOW WE ARE NOT JUST CONTINUING TO GO INTO THE GROUNDMENTING WHATS HAPPENING IS WE CAME DOWN FROM THE LEVELS OF THE 80s AND 90s AND NOW WE ARE DOING A BIG HUCK CUP IN FLUCTUATION.
WHAT IS CAUSING THAT?
WELL, ONE THING THAT HAS NOT CHANGED, I MEAN, AS A TEENAGER I READ GEORGE WRIGHT'S WRITINGS ABOUT IT THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS THAT WEATHER WE GET AROUND THE HATCH PERIOD.
I MEAN BECAUSE THAT CAN DIRECTLY KILL POALTS.
IT CAN AFFECT HOW PREDATORS SMELL POLTS.
SO THAT'S CRITICAL.
AND THAT HABIT CHANGED SO WHAT ELSE HAS CHANGED?
WE DON'T REALLY FULLY KNOW, BUT IN SOME PLACES, IT'S HABITAT.
SOME PLACES IT MAY BE OVER HARVEST.
TOO MUCH HUNTING PRESSURE.
OTHER SOME STATES TALK AND I CAN TELL YOU IT IS NOT ONE THING ALL THE TIME.
IT'S A VARIETY OF FACTORS.
BUT WEATHER BEING VERY IMPORTANT, SUITABLE NESTING HABITAT, THOSE ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
THOSE ARE IMPORTANT FACTORS THAT WE HAVE GOT TO BE COGNIZANT OF AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE DOING RESEARCH WITH THE BANDING PROJECT TO LOOK AT WHETHER OUR HARVEST STRATEGY, OUR REGULATIONS ARE SET APPROPRIATELY BECAUSE THAT'S THE MAIN THING WE CAN CONTROL.
OTHER WEISS WE ARE TRYING TO INFLUENCE LAND OWNERS TO DO THEIR PART AND HUNTERS TO BE RESPONSIBILITY SO IT'S REALLY, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A MULTIPRONGED APPROACH BUT LOTS OF STATES ARE STUDYING IF IT FOR YOUR NWTF MEMBERS WATCHING.
THE MAGAZINE BEFORE LAST, A GOOD STORY ABOUT THE RESEARCH BEING DONE ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR TURKEYS SO IT'S A CONCERTED EFFORTS TO UNDERSTAND MORE TURKEYS HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO BATTLE RIGHT OFF THE BAT STARTING OFF IN AN EGG.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF OBSTACLE TO OVERCOME.
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF EGGS LAID TURN INTO ADULT TURKEYS?
>> IT'S PRETTY LOW.
I THINK RECENT NUMBERS OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST, I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I WANT TO SAY THAT NESTING SUCCESS IS DOWN AROUND 40% OR LESS.
30, 40% AND THAT'S DOWN FROM A FEW DECK DECADES AGO AND SOME OF THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH.
BROOD SURVIVAL IS NOT GREAT EITHER SO WE ARE HOPING TO GET A SECOND RESEARCH PROJECT GOING THAT WILL STUDY HENS AND WHERE THEY NEST AND WHAT PERCENTAGE ARE HUSBANDFUL.
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT PREDATORS AND WE HAVE PREDATORS, A HEALTHY BOBCAT POPULATION AND WHEN TURKEYS WERE FIRST RELEASED THEY WERE PROBABLY NOT RECOGNIZED BY SOME OF THE PREDATORS AS A FOOD ITEM BUT WE HAVE THIS TURKEY POPULATIONS WHEN WE HAVE HAD HIGH COYOTE NUMBERS, TOO.
SOME OF THE HIGHER, YOU KNOW, PARTS OF KENTUCKY THAT HAD REALLY GOOD TURKEY POPULATIONS HAVE HAD COYOTE POPULATIONS AT THE SAME TIME.
>> I HAVE TO THINK THAT COYOTES SPECIFICALLY, HAVE I TO THINK THAT THE PRESSURE OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT A COYOTE, VARMENT HUNTING IS ON THE RISE.
THERE ARE MORE AND MORE VAR VARMINT HUNTERS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE STATE, OTHER THAN COYOTES.
>> THERE IS NO FUR MARKET.
>> IS NO FUR MARKET SO I KNOW SOME OF IT IS GOING DOWN, WHAT IMPACT THAT MAY BE HAVING, BUT WE ALWAYS WANT TO BLAME THE COYOTES AND I DON'T MIND BLAMING COYOTES.
I'M NOT A FAN OF COYOTE.
MORE PEOPLE I KNOW ARE COYOTE HUNTING THAN FIVE YEARS AGO AND A LOT MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE COONS?
AND THE OPOSSUMS.
THEY'LL RAID A NEST.
>> THEY'LL RAID A NEST AND THE FUR MARKET IS REALLY, REALLY DOWN, SO IF YOU WANT TO MAYBE HELP OUT, THEN MAYBE GET OUT THERE AND DO SOME TRAPPING.
THAT VERY WELL MAY HELP OUT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT.
NEXT QUESTION HERE IS DYLAN PERKINS FROM INSTAGRAM.
WHAT IS THE REASON FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO FILL BOTH TURKEY TAGS ON THE SAME DAY?
I'VE SURE WE HAVE GOTTEN SAT QUESTION BEFORE IN THE PAST.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT ANSWER WHY.
YOUR BAG LIMIT IS ONE PER DAY.
>> MOST STATES IT'S STILL ONE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL STATES YOU CAN HARVEST TWO BIRDS IN THE SAME DAY.
IT STARTED BACK WHEN WE WERE, AGAIN, JUST RELEASING TURKEYS, JUST STARTING HUNTING PRESSURE, TRYING TO BE CAREFUL, HOW MUCH PRESSURE WE PUT ON THEM.
IT IS CONTINUED BECAUSE NOT BECAUSE IT'S TRADITION BUT BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO SPREAD ON THE HARVEST OUT HONESTLY.
I MEAN THAT TURKEY MAY STAY-- IF YOU SEE A BIRD AND THERE WAS A BIRD WITH IT, THAT OTHER BIRD THAT LIVED MIGHT COME BACK TO YOUR PROPERTY.
HE MIGHT NOT.
HE MIGHT FLY ON YOUR NEIGHBOR IF YOU GIVE HIM A CHANCE.
YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT SORT OF, KIND OF HOLISTICALLY LIKE THAT BUT THAT IS A SOCIAL CONSIDERATION, TOO.
WE HAVE A CONSERVATIVE SEASON IN THE STATE, WHICH HAS HELPED OUR POPULATION, THINK I.
BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOCIAL FACTORS, SO OVERTIME, THAT COULD CHANGE.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT ULTIMATELY, IT CONSULTANTS DOWN TO HOW MUCH YOU SPREAD OUT THE HARVEST PRESSURE AT ANY ONE TIME.
>> IT IS REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE WE ARE SITTING HERE ANSWERING ALL THESE QUESTIONS THAT WERE BEING ASKED AND THERE IS QUESTIONS THAT ARE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE ON THIS SEASON DATES, HARVEST NUMBERS.
KILLING MORE HENS BECAUSE THEY'RE HENNED UP.
WHY ARE WE ALLOWING THEM TO KILL HENS AND YOU START TO SEE SOME OF THE ISSUES AND THE PRESSURES THAT YOU GUYS DEAL WITH AS BIOLOGISTS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST HAS TO BE THE CONCERN FOR THE POPULATION AND THE TURKEY CONDITIONS BUT THEN THERE IS ALL THESE OTHER FACTORS THAT, YOU ARE BEING PULLED IN TWO AND THREE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE WANT MORE BIRDS TAKEN IN THE FALL.
SOME WANT ZERO BIRDS TAKEN IN THE FALL.
SOME PEOPLE WANT LESS BIRDS TAKEN IN THE SPRING, SOME WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE TWO PER DAY.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THAT PERFECT BALANCE THAT MAY NOT BE YOUR IDEAL SITUATION, BUT IT MIGHT BE THE BEST SITUATION NOT ONLY FOR THE BIRD AND THE FLOCK, BUT ALSO FOR THE MASS HUNTERS IN GENERAL AND THAT'S THE BALANCE THAT YOU TRY TO WORK, RIGHT?
>> IT IS, YEAH, AND YOU THINK, I TALKED ABOUT TRADITION, YOU KNOW, AND JOE SHOT HIS BIRD IN 1990 THERE THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY TURKEY HUNTERS AND PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT BETTER AT TURKEY HUNTING.
>> THE DECOY, WE HAD FEATHER FLEX DECOYS THAT DIDN'T LOOK LEAK A TURKEY BUT THEY WORKED JOE IS JUST A GOOD BIOLOGIST, HE KNEW IT WAS AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD BIRD AND IT WAS TIME FOR THIS BIRD-- >> SURE I DID.
>> HEY, LISTEN, HERE IS A FAMILIAR PERSON, THIS IS BRIAN MILES.
HE SAID WHAT IS THE RANGE FOR A TRAVEL DISTANCE OF A NORMAL MALE TURKEY?
HOW FAR OVER A PERIOD OF A YEAR, HOW FAR CAN A TURKEY MOVE?
AND I KNOW A LITTLE BIT, KIND OF WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, I'M GUESSING.
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, GENERALLY IN THE SUMMER, FALL, THEY'RE NOT MOVING THAT MUCH, I MEAN MAYBE A SQUARE MILE GIVE OR TAKE IS SORT OF SPRING TIME COMES WHEN THEY TRANSITION FROM BEING A JAKE TO THE FIRST YEAR, I MEAN JOE CAN TELL YOU, EXPERIENCE WE HAD WITH A GOBBLER MOVED QUITE A WAYS.
>> HE WENT EIGHT MILES FROM WHERE HE WAS ON APRIL 2.
HE MOVED EIGHT MILES.
AND WAS HARVESTED.
>> EIGHT MILES.
>> SO YOU SAID THAT THE RANGE MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, AVERAGE FOR A PERIOD OF YEAR IS A SQUARE MILE.
HOW MANY ACRES IS A SQUARE MILE?
>> 640.
>> AND THIS TURKEY WENT EIGHT MILES SO YOU START-- >> BUT REMEMBER, HE WAS A JAKE WHEN WE CAUGHT HIM.
HE HAS BEEN HANGING OUT SAME FARM OR TWO BUT WHEN WHEN THE HORMONES STARTED RAGING AND HE GOT HIS BUTT WHOOPED BY EXPERIENCED GOBBLERS, HE FINDS NEW TURF.
GEORGE WRIGHT FOUND WHEN HE BANDED BIRDS AS JAKES, THEY TENDED TO MOVE, I THINK ON AVERAGE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE MILES EVEN.
>> I REMEMBER ONE SPECIFICALLY HE SAID WIND 17 MILES.
>> I'LL TELL YOU A PERSONAL STORY.
I TOOK RORY GRIMES A PARTICULAR FARM JAKE WAS A STRUT.
CUT THE FEATHERS RIGHT OFF HIS BACK.
RACING STRIPE RIGHT OFF HIS BACK THREE OR FOUR DAYS LATER ON A FARM, THREE AIR MILES AWAY, I CALLED IN TWO JAKES AND KILLED ONE AND IT WAS THE SAME BIRD THAT HE HAD CUT FEATHERS OFF OF THREE DAYS EARLIER.
>> THREE MILES IN THREE DAYS.
>> YOU START TALKING ABOUT IS THE RANGE THEN.
IT CAN BE-- YOU SAID 640 ACRES FOR ONE SQUARE MILE YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THE TURKEYS ON YOUR PROPERTY, HAVE YOU TO OWN THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF ACRES.
>> RIGHT.
A CONSUME OF THINGS SO, WHEN GOBBLERS DON'T MOVE THAT MUCH TYPICALLY AND GEORGE FOUND THAT IT WAS LESS THAN A MILE AVERAGE.
IF YOU CAUGHT THEM AND BANDED THEM AS A GOBBLER, THEY DIDN'T MOVE THAT MUCH.
BUT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BIRDS ARE GOING TO MOVE A LOT.
WINTER TIME THEY'RE GOING TO START TO MOVE AROUND BECAUSE SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES GOBBLERS ARE PART OF THE BIGGER FLOCK THAT YOU SEE.
USUALLY NOT BUT THEY'RE ON THE PERIPHERY AND MOVE AROUND SOME BUT IT VARIES A LOT AND IT'S REALLY COOL TO THINK ABOUT HOW THEY MOVE BECAUSE MOST BIRDS ARE PRETTY TIGHT, BUT SOME BIRDS JUST MOVE FAR.
>> AND HEY, THE LANDSCAPE CHANGES.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T KEEP THE BIRDS ON YOUR PLACE ALL YEAR ROUND, JOE MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU GOT TO LOOK BEYOND YOUR BOUNDARIES SO YOUR PROPERTY IS UNIQUE, YOU KNOW, TRY TO MAKE IT AS GOOD AS YOU CAN BUT KEEP YOUR SURROUNDING, THE LANDSCAPE IN MINE, TOO.
BECAUSE YOU JUST MAY NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM THERE YEAR ROUND BUT YOU CAN DO THINGS SPRING TIME, SUMMERTIME, TO MAKE IT AS GOOD AS POSSIBLE TO UP YOUR ODDS AND HELP THE POPULATION.
THE SHOTGUN QUESTION.
THEY WERE SAYING TURKEY SHELLS, THIS IS FROM AUGUST, THERE ARE TURKEY SHELLS THREE AND A HALF INCH, 2.75 WHICH ARE TYPICAL NORMAL 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN.
YOU WANT TO KNOW, ARE THE THREE AND A HALF INCH SHELLS REALLY THAT MUCH ARE AND IT DOESN'T MATTER.
>> I WOULD SAY THAT'S PROBABLY RIGHT.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE THREE AND A HALF INCH SHOT, BUT I KNOW PEOPLE THAT THEIR GUN DOESN'T SHOOT THREE AND A HALF SHELL IN THERE AS WELL.
THEY PATTERN BETTER WITH A 2.75 AND THEY'RE GOING TO LET THE BIRDS GET IN CLOSE SO YOU NEED TO SHOOT THE GUN THAT YOU ARE SHOOTING WITH THE TURKEY CHOKE TUBE AND SEE WHAT YOUR GUN IS DOING WITH THE AMMUNITION BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BE DOING WORSE WITH A BIGGER, THAT BROOD SHOULDER THE NEXT DAY THE BRUISED SHOULDER MAY HAVE HURT YOU IN MORE THAN ONE WAY.
SO DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO BUY THE BIGGEST SHOTGUN SHELL MADE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT MUCH TO TAKE ONE DOWN WITH A PROPERLY PLACED SHOT.
>> IT COMES DOWN TO PRACTICE WITH YOUR EQUIPMENT AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME REALLY FANCY LOADS THAT THROW REALLY GREAT PATTERNS NOWADAYS.
BUT IT CAN BE DANGEROUS.
IT CAN.
THAT'S ONE REASON TO KEEP RANGE IN MIND.
BUT WOUNDING A BIRD, IF YOU SHOOT AT A BIRD AND DON'T RECOVER, YOU SHOULD FEEL BAD.
YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
IF YOU ARE TRYING A 60-YARD SHOT, IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT.
>> YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT.
>> WAIT FOR ANOTHER DAY.
>> IT'S A BAD FEELING.
>> LARRY FROM FACEBOOK HAD WE USED GPS TRACKING DEVICES ON TURKEYS HERE IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.
>> WE HAVE A FEW.
RESEARCH I ALLUDED TO EARLIER WILL DO IT A MUCH MORE INTENSIVELY BUT I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE JOE CATCH THE TURKEYS AND THIS IS PROPS TO RECEIPT COLLIER IS BIG TIME TURKEY RESEARCHER.
WE WORKED WITH HIM AND LEARN HOW IT WORKS.
IT IS FASCINATING TO SEE HOW BIRDS MOVE WHEN THEY'RE WEARING THE BACKPACK TRANSMITTERS AND GPS KENNELING IS TECHNOLOGY IS AMAZING.
THE TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE.
NOW IT'S STILL IT'S NOT AS GLAMOROUS AS A HIGH TK SPY NOVEL.
HAVE YOU TO WORK TO GET THE DATA.
THE BIRD WE SAID MOVED EIGHT MILES GOT SHOT.
BUT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL IT EVEN IF IT WASN'T HARVESTED BECAUSE WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.
>> IF YOU HAPPEN TO TAKE A BIRD THAT YOU FIND SOME FOREIGN DEVICE ON YOU WANT TO REACH OUT BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET THE DATA OFF OF THE BAND NUMBER AND IF IT HAS A BACKPACK, WE WANT THAT INFORMATION.
HOW MANY BIRDS DO WE HAVE BACKPACK ON TURKEYS RIGHT NOW.
>> NOT MANY.
ONE AREA LIMITED SCALE BUT IT'S NOT MANY.
ANY TIME HUNTERS FIND STUFF LIKE THAT TURN IT IN.
FIND OUT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S DONE TO HELP YOU HAVE MORE TURKEYS TO KEEP HUNTING.
YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG AND DON'T FREAK OUT IF YOU SEE THE LOUISIANA CONTACT NUMBER.
>> SHOUT OUT TO BRETT.
WE GET THESE QUESTIONS ALL THE TIME BECAUSE IT'S PART OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, UNDERSTANDING MOVEMENT, HABITS, BUT ALSO THAT ANIMAL BEING HUNTED IS PART OF THE ANIMAL BEING HERE IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.
IF WE ARE DOING A MORTALITY STUDY AND YOU PASS ON EVERY SINGLE BULL ELK THAT YOU SEE HAS A RADIO COLLAR ON IT, YOU HAVE SKEWED THE STUDY.
YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT ANIMAL IF IT IS SOMETHING YOU WERE GOING TO TAKE REGARDLESS, YOU SEE THE COLOR ON IT, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SEE THE BACKPACKS ON A TURKEY BUT WE WANT TO YOU TAKE IT IF IT IS A BIRD THAT GOT IN RANGE, TAKE IT BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE STUDY, RIGHT?
>> DO WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO.
IF IT IS A LEGAL BIRD, SAFE SITUATION, THEN DO IT.
>> THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
>> I THINK THIS MIGHT BE OUR LAST QUESTION HERE.
COREY WILLIAMS FROM SHELBY COUNTY.
WHAT ARE SOME GOOD RESOURCES FOR A NOVICE TURKEY HUNTER WANTING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SPORT?
THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION.
WHERE WOULD YOU SEND A PERSON THAT MAYBE DOESN'T HAVE A MENTOR ON HAND THAT WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TURKEY HUNTING.
>> WORKSHOPS.
THOSE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES.
ED.
>> WHAT IS ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS HERE.
>> THERE IS FIELD TO FORK EVENTS SOME BECKY IS WITH THE AGENCY.
IF YOU CALL OUR HEADQUARTERS, AND ASK ABOUT IT, THEY'LL PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH IT.
IT'S REALLY GREAT.
IT TAKES INTIMIDATION OUT OF IT FROM WHAT TURKEY HUNTING TO HOW TO PREPARE THE BIRD AND SO IT REALLY.
IT'S A GREAT CONCEPT.
>> AND THERE IS OTHER INFORMATION OUT THERE.
STARTING WITH THE INFO CENTER.
>> THAT WOULD BE A GREAT ONE.
ANOTHER GOOD RESOURCE I HAVE TO PLUG THE NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION.
EVERY STATE HAS A STATE CHAPTER.
WE HAVE A GREAT KENTUCKY CHAPTER THREW THE REBOUND SITE, YOU CAN FIND IT, CALL UP YOUR LOCAL STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
THEY'LL PUT NEW TOUCH WITH YOUR LOCAL CHAPTER.
THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE EAT UP WITH TURKEY HUNTING AND WANT TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE.
>> GO TO THE BANK WET AND TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT TURKEY HUNTING AND YOU NEVER KNOW.
>> THAT'S HOW I GOT STARTED.
>> NWTF BANQUET HALL.
>> YOUR LOCAL CONSERVATION OFFICER.
>> YOU GUYS PUT ON SOME HUNTS AS WELL.
>> THAT MAY BE A GOOD WAY TO START OUT.
HEY, JUST DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS.
BE READY TO GET OUT THERE AND FIND SOMEONE WHO IS PASSIONATE ABOUT IT THEREBY THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO TURKEY HUNTING.
YOU WANT TO DO IT LEGALLY AND ETHICALLY AND LEARN FROM SOMEBODY ELSE'S MISTAKES.
THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO GET STARTED.
YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES TURKEY HUNTING.
THEY CAN SEE CAN'T THEY.
>> AND THEY SHUT UP RIGHT BEFORE THEY COME IN A LOT OF TIMES.
>> IT'S LIKE THEY HEAR YOU CALLING AND WHEN THEY GET CLOSE ENOUGH, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE CALL IS COMING FROM.
THEY GET CLOSE AND SAY WAIT A MINUTE.
THAT BIRD WAS SOUNDING OFF RIGHT HERE, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IT AND THEN THEY BUTTON UP AND IT'S ALL DONE WITH THE EYES.
YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH MOVEMENT, DOES IT?
>> NO.
THAT'S WHY THE GENTLEMEN WHO CALLED EARLIER, SAID HE WAS GOING TO TAKE A SIX AND SEVEN-YEAR-OLD.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN TURKEY HUNTING IN THAT SITUATION, A BLIND MIGHT BE THE WAY TO GO BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO KEEP TWO LITTLE KIDS STILL ENOUGH TO GET A TURKEY IN RANGE FOR A SIX OR SEVEN-YEAR-OLD TO SHOOT 'EM, TURKEY BLIND WITH WHERE THEY CAN GET DOWN AND BE ABLE TO MOVE THEIR HANDS A LITTLE BIT AND BE BELOW, MIGHT BE THE WAY TO START.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> I STILL HUNT OUT OF A TURKEY BLIND.
THERE ARE SOME LOCATIONS AND YOU ARE LIMITED WHERE YOU CAN MOVE BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF COVER ESPECIALLY EARLY IN THE SEASON, TURKEY BLIND IS A GREAT WAY TO GO ABOUT IT ISN'T IT.
>> A GREAT WAY TO TAKE A NAP AND SPEND THE DAY AND WAKE UP TO SOMETHING ON YOUR DECOYS.
>> I KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN AWAKENED BY A GOBBLER IS RIGHT IN THEIR FACE.
NOTHING WRONG WITH A SPRING NAP DURING TURKEY SEASON.
>> THE BLINDS HEAT UP.
>> IF ANYBODY SAYS YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN A NAP AGAINST A THREE DURING TURKEY SEASON, YOU ARE LYING.
>> I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TURKEY NAPS.
IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
TURKEY SEASON RIGHT HERE FOR THE YOUTH SEASON APRIL 2 AND 3.
AND THEN THE STATEWIDE SEASON OPENS ON APRIL 16.
AND THAT WILL LAST THROUGH MAY THE 8.
SO HEY, GET OUT THERE, GET YOUR TAGS, DO A LITTLE SCOUTING, GET THAT SHOTGUN TO THE RANGE, PICK YOUR AMMUNITION AND YOUR CHOKE TUBE.
SEE EXACTLY WHAT YOUR GUN IS DOING AND GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY IT.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE FOR TONIGHT'S TURKEY CALL-IN SHOW.
GET READY TO HIT THE FIELD.
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